Clay-tempering machine



(No Model.)

4 J. F. DORNFELD.

' CLAY TE'MPERI NG MACHINE;

Patented-lg 5., 1884;

afiqs'f gig; r/ 7 W E J'ouxr. nonxrnnn, or wn'rnnrown, WISGONSIX.

CLAY-TEMPERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming Applicalion filed December i0, [883. (No model.)

part of Letters l-iatent No. 292,997, dated February 5, 1884.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, JOHN F. DORNFELD, a

citizenof the United States, residing at W'atertown, in the county ofJefferson and State of lVisc-onsin, have invented certain new and use-'ful Improvements in Olay-Tempering Machines; and I dohereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of clay-temperin gmachines in which a rotating grinding-wheel is attached to a lever orsweep, by which it is caused torch in a circular course around theclay-pit upon the clay, one end of which sweep is attached to a supportat a central point within the circle of the pit, while the other endextends across the pit, and is attached to an endless revolving chain bywhich it is rotated.

My invention is further explained by referenceto the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 represents a ground plan; Fig. 2, a sidevicw,part in section; and Fig. 3 is a detail.

has been supported at intervals around the pit B upon stationaryrollers, and motion has been communicated to the sweep or axle C bysaidendless chain direct, in which case the friction of the endlesschain on said stationary rollers caused a great loss of power. By myimprovement several sweeps,D and D,are added, all except two of whichsweeps are attached to the central platform, E, the inner c011- vergingendsof the sweeps D D being separated and thrown outward from the centerand attached to the nextsucceeding sweeps in the series, to provide roombetween them for the clay-tempering wheel F. The sweep G serves as anaxle around which the wheel F revolves,

' and upon which it is free to move toward and Heretofore the endlessrevolving chain A- it traverses over the clay. The sweep or axle C andblock G- are movably secured between the respective sides of theplatform E by the horizontal bolt H, which bolt permits said block tomove up and down, to conform to the upward and downward movement of thewheel 1* upon the clay.

It is obvious that the radial sweeps D shown. in Fig. 1 support andcarry the entire endless drive-chain free from contact with the track,and thus avoid the loss of power heretofore sustained in drawing thechain around the pit upon stationary rollers, said radial sweeps servingthe purpose of alargeband or sprocket wheel, around which thesprocket-chain A acts as a band, and by which motion is co1n= municatedto both the inner and outer ends of the axle O. The outer ends of theseveral To relieve the platform E are rigidly attached at their innerends to the respective sweeps by bolts or "other equiva lent means,while to their outer ends are attached brackets or arms M, forsupporting the endless chain A.

To the vertical arm of the bracket M is attached a sprocket, N, which isadapted to project through the links of thesprocket-chain, therebypreventing the chain from slipping upon the brackets when communicatingmotion to the sweeps. In revolving the sweeps and its attachments motionis communicated thereto from the sprocket wheel 0 through the endlesssprocket-chain A, thechain passing first around the outside of saidsprocketwheel, asindicated by the arrow, then toward M the pit, andaround the inside of the tightening-wheel P, and from thence to the nextbracket, M. The sprocketwheels 0 and tightening-wheel are locatedoutside of the circle described. by the ends of the sweeps and bracketsfar enough to permit them to pass without contact, whereby the line ofthe draft on the sprocket-chain is drawn as near as possible to the lineof motion described by the ends of the sweeps. It is obvious that aseach succeeding sweep approaches the sprocket-chain said chain is drawnoutward from the supvolve past said wheel.

porting-bracket around said sprocket-wheel, and permits one sweep-afteranother to re- Motion is communicated through the brace-rods I from onesweep to another throughout the series, whereby they all revolvetogether, like a wheel upon its axis. The platform E is supported uponthe central post, R. The motion thus communicated to the series ofsweeps through the sprocket-chain A and brace-rods I is transmitted tothe axle-shaft O by chain or rod S, as shown, from the next succeedingsweep, D. The rod S being attached at a fixed point at one end only, theother end is free to rise and fall with the axle-shaft and claywheel.The tightener-wheel .P is attached to a movable bracket or arm, T, whichbracket is pivoted to the frame A by bolt B, around which bolt itdescribes a partial circle as it is thrown toward and from thesprocket-chain, said bracket T and tightener-wheel P thereon are drawntoward the sprocket-chain, and said tightener kept in close contacttherewith by the gravity of a weight acting through cord 0 over sheaveD. The cord 0 is attached to a circular arm, E, of said bracket T,bywhich said cord is caused to at all times act thereon at a uniformdistance from the retaining pivot of the bracket, and with a uniformpressure against said sprocket-chain. Motion may be communicated to saidsprocket-chain in any desired manner, either from above through shaft F.or.

from one side through beveled gear G. The sprocket-wheel and tightenerand the sprockets communicated therewith are retained in their properrelative position to each other, as shown; by a substantial frame, andthe same is rigidly attached to the side of the pit in the ordinarymanner.

The inner ends of the several sweeps D are socketed into the platform E,and thus retained by bolts H. The inner ends of the sweeps D D aresocketed into or otherwise secured to the next succeeding sweeps, D D,as shown. I I are braces communicating between the block G and sweeps DD.

To facilitate the chain in passing from the brackets M to thesprocket-wheel, the track K is made slightly lower for a small arc 'ofthe circle past the sprocket-wheel, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby thesweeps gradually drop below the sprocket-chain as they approach saidsprocket-wheel and rise as they recede from it, said wheel thuspermitting the chain to move more freely to and from the sprocket wheel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination, in a clay-temperingmachine, of a central revolving support, a series of radial sweeps, anendless sprocketchain, an axle-shaft provided with a clay-temperingwheel, and. a sprocket-wheel adapted to communicate motion to saidchain, said radial sweeps being provided at their diverging ends withbrackets for the reception ofsaid chain, whereby said chain is supportedand carried with the sweeps as it communicates motion to them all,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a clay-tempering machine, the combination of the central support,R, platform E, series of radial arms D and D, brace-rods I, rollers P,endless chain A, circular track K, and sprocket-wheel 0, said wheels Pbeing adapted to roll upon the circular track K and support the outerends of the sweeps, as set forth.

3. The combination, in a clay-tempering machine, of the centralplatform, E, block G, secured in said platform by horizontal bolt H,radial sweeps D, attached to said plate form, sweeps D D, attached attheir inner ends to the next succeeding sweeps, D, axleshaft 0,clay-tempering wheel 1+, and rod or chain S, said rod S and block Gbeing adapted to communicate a circular motion to said axle-shaft andwheel around the pit, while it permits them to rise and fall, conformingto the height of the clay in the pit, substantially as set forth.

4. In a clay-tempering machine, the combination, with the diverging endsof a series or p sweeps centrally supported upon a revolving platform,of the brackets M, axles P, supporting wheels J, brace-rods I, andsprocketehain A, said sprocket-chain being adapted to be operated by asprocket-wheel, around which it passes, and from which it communi catesmotion to said radial sweeps, said brackets being adapted to support andcarry said sprocket-chain, while said brace-rods co-operate tostrengthen and sustain said sweeps and communicate motion simultaneouslyto all, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the endless sprock et-chain A, of thesprocket-wheel O, bracket T, tighteningwheel P, cord or chain 0, andsheave D, said cord being provided with a weight adapted to retain saidtightening-wheel P in contact with said sprocket-chain, as and for thepurpose specified.

6. In a clay-tempering machine, the circular track K, having an arc ofits circle next opposite the sprocket drive-wheel depressed or curveddownwardly, in combination with the diverging ends of the radial sweepsand their supporting-wheels, said depression being adapted to permit theoutward-ends of said sweeps with their supporting-wheels to successivelydrop below said sprocket drivewheel as they pass it, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. F. DORNFELD.

'Witnesses:

GUSTAVUS Wnnucn, DANIEL RUsnL.

ioo

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